1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to wastebaskets and trash receptacles of the type that receive flexible bag liners and, more particularly, to a trash receptacle having suction means for drawing a flexible bag liner into place against the interior walls of the receptacle during installation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wastebaskets, trash cans, and trash receptacles of various designs and configurations of the type that receive a flexible “trash bag” liner are known in the prior art. There are two problems associated with installing and removing these very thin flexible trash bag liners. The first problem occurs when initially installing the liner. Usually the flexible liner is opened and placed into the receptacle and its open end is fitted over the top edge of the receptacle, forming a seal. As a result, air is trapped between the exterior of the liner and the interior wall surfaces of the receptacle causing the liner to puff up or billow inwardly away from the interior bottom and side surfaces of the receptacle and prevents it from assuming a desired full open configuration. After several items have been placed into the lined receptacle, the weight and/or volume inside the liner causes the air trapped between the exterior of the liner and interior of the receptacle to slowly leak out at the top end where the liner is fitted over the top edge of the receptacle. As the trash liner becomes filled, its exterior will gradually engage or closely conform to the interior bottom and side surfaces of the receptacle.
The second problem occurs when removing the filled flexible liner from its trash receptacle in that when the bag is lifted upwardly a vacuum is created between the exterior bottom and sides of the departing liner and the interior bottom and side surfaces of the receptacle, making it difficult to remove the flexible trash liner because the greater ambient air pressure holds the flexible, collapsible trash liner within the trash receptacle.
There are several patents that disclose wastebaskets, trash cans, and trash receptacles of various designs and constructions which are configured to overcome problems associated with removing the flexible trash bag liner. Most of these prior art devices are designed to eliminate the vacuum created when removing or lifting a filled flexible liner from the trash receptacle; however, none of these devices are capable of drawing the flexible liner into a desirable full open configuration against the interior walls of the receptacle during installation of the liner.
Bard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,379 discloses an upwardly vented trash receptacle provided with a plurality of longitudinal peripherally positioned hollow tubes in the interior of the trash receptacle through which ambient air is allowed to travel to reduce the vacuum created in the vacant space immediately below the flexible trash liner and reduce the total force required to remove the filled liner.
Poliquin, U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,063 discloses a trash can vent system that includes one or more vent channels that are securable to the interior corners of a conventional trash can, each channel having a number of vent openings to prevent the trash can liner from forming a vacuum seal with the interior trash can side walls.
Nicoll, Sr., et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,760 discloses a trash receptacle including a flexible diaphragm valve mounted in the bottom thereof for breaking a suction which is created when the filled trash liner positioned within the receptacle is lifted for the purposes of trash removal. The flexible diaphragm remains in sealing engagement with the inside surface of the container and covers air holes extending from the outside surface to the inside surface of the container. When the liner is lifted, the diaphragm flexes upwardly due to the suction pressure and allows air to flow inwardly to break the suction.
The present invention substantially departs from and is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular, by a trash receptacle that receives and supports a flexible trash bag liner therein and sucks the empty flexible liner tight against the interior surfaces of the receptacle in a full open position absent any air pockets or billowing by extracting air trapped between the exterior surface of the liner and the interior surfaces of the receptacle.